Welsh Liberal Democrats

“Unattractive” NHS services problem for medical recruitment

January 25, 2012 12:54 PM

The Medical Director of NHS Wales, Dr. Chris Jones, today admitted in the National Assembly's Health Committee that one of the reasons for low recruitment levels to the Welsh NHS was down to poor services.

Responding to questions on low junior doctor recruitment levels prompted by Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, the NHS Medical Director said that "some of our services are intrinsically unattractive"

A number of small hospital and Minor Injury Units across Wales have had to close recently due to staff shortages and the BMA recently stated that there are around 400 vacant doctor posts in Wales as a whole

Responding to Dr. Jones' comments, Kirsty Williams AM, said:

"From the numerous temporary hospital closures we've seen across Wales recently, it is evident that the NHS in Wales has a difficulty in recruiting junior doctors and senior clinicians. This is not good enough for our NHS. It is affecting service delivery and patient safety.

"As the Health Minister was stating that immigration was a major problem for recruitment in Wales, the Medical Director, who was sat to her right, very honestly said that services in Wales were intrinsically unattractive for potential junior doctors.

"I have been calling on the Health Minister and the First Minister for a long time for them to speed up the launch of their recruitment campaign. I am glad that she stated that a recruitment campaign will be launched next Wednesday. However, given the Health Minister's lack of information and vagueness on the details of the campaign when answering questions to the Health Committee, I am very concerned that this recruitment campaign is going to be a 'paper launch' with little benefit for the people and patients of Wales."